'Shooting stone' kills minor girl in J-K, resident protests

JAMMU: 13-year-old Shazia Akhter died in Rajouri after a shooting stone hit her. Villagers protested against a private company involved in road work, blaming their negligence for the tragedy. The company had failed to clear debris and prevent stonefall, despite Friday's landslide.

A13-year-old girl was killed after being hit by a shooting stone in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday, officials said.

Shazia Akhter was hit by a rolling boulder while passing through a landslide prone area near her Dandote village in Budhal area, the officials said.

They said the girl was shifted to hospital where she was declared brought dead.

The girl's death sparked protest by the villagers who demanded legal action against the private company engaged for upgradation work of Budhal-Mahore-Gool road.

"The careless work and negligence on the part of the construction company resulted in the death of the girl. We want the administration to initiate action against the company and ensure adequate compensation to the family," Manzoor Ahmad Naik, a local resident said.

He said on Friday a landslide blocked the road, connecting Rajouri with Reasi district but the concerned company employed its men and machinery and cleared the debris.

However, despite shooting stones from the hillock, the company allowed movement on the road resulting in the loss of precious human life, Naik said.